This book collection by Marius Čiuželis, the Founder and CEO of the M. Čiuželis Charity Foundation, began in 2007. Currently, the collection consists of 330 books in 124 languages and dialects.
“What matters to me the most is not the number of books, but the story that comes with each one of them – the search process, the seller, the specific copy of the book, etc. That is why our family’s inseparable travel tradition has become the search for “The Little Prince” in bookstores in various countries. It also helps us get to know the local people and culture better. Some regions view the common language as imposed, and in bookstores they just wave their hand at the shelves and say “look there”, but as soon as you mention the desire to have it in their regional language – their eyes sparkle mischievously, at least for a moment you become almost best friends and get “that real” translation pulled from the shelf. The joy is mutual. My friends, knowing this passion of mine, no longer have to think about what souvenir to bring back from their travels: everyone knows it well – it’s “The Little Prince,” says Marius.
The story of “The Little Prince” is closely connected to the activities of M. Čiuželio Charity Foundation’s flagship social project “The Silver Line” – a befriending and emotional support helpline for old age people. Just as the Little Prince cuddles the Fox, responsibly takes care of Rose, protects her from the winds or the sheep, so too do the daily telephone conversations of “The Silver Line” with seniors forge mutual connections until the befrienders become responsible for each other. Over time, lonely or socially isolated elderly people can no longer imagine their everyday lives without these conversations – the belief that someone else still cares about them returns. In this way, literature, a fictional fantasy world, becomes real life, and life becomes a story that one wants to share with others.
